Senufo Debele statue

Senufo Debele statue from the Bonudiali region, Ivory Coast.

This striking Déblé Senufo statue from the Boundiali region of the Ivory Coast, carved from a single length of dense hardwood and standing over a meter tall, embodies the deep spiritual and artistic traditions of the Senufo people. Such figures, known as déblé or pombia, were traditionally used in Poro society rituals to mediate between the human and ancestral worlds, serving as guardians of moral order, fertility, and communal harmony. The female figure—a symbol of life-giving power and continuity—bears slitted eyes that convey introspection and spiritual awareness, along with scarification patterns and arm bracelets denoting social status and initiation. The large carved disk atop her head, marked with an X-like cross, likely carries cosmological significance, representing the intersection of earthly and spiritual realms, or the unity of the four cardinal directions central to Senufo cosmology. The low mohawk-like coiffure and carved necklace reflect regional aesthetic conventions of Boundiali workshops, renowned for their balanced proportions and subtle detailing. Steeped in both ritual importance and artistic refinement, this sculpture stands as a testament to the Senufo carver’s ability to merge spiritual symbolism with sculptural grace.

"In the mid- to late twentieth century, communities displayed pombibele as static works of sculpture and animated them in performance. The figures sometimes stood on the ground during a ceremony for a deceased poro elder or larger funerary ceremonies dedicated to all the deceased elders in a community. On other occasions, poro initiates carried pombibele as they walked, tapping the large figures on the ground. Rarer sculptures include the much admired large birds, reproductions of which today fill West African tourist markets. By the time Senufo arts captured scholarly attention in the West at the beginning of the twentieth century, artists and patrons had already created a wealth of forms to assert diverse local identities."
- Met Museum, NY

Height: 129,5 cm
Weight: 11,01 kg